Fluid brake mechanism



Sept. 29, 1931. BF. JOYCE FLUID- BRAKE MECHANISM Filed June`l6, 1930 u mm lmlkmm m WN N .um www h J llllllllllllll lllllllll Illllllllilllllllll is.: w y

l l 1 1 I l Patented Sept. 29,- 1931 Barni r. Joven, or nov'm, maw .T1msn FLUID BRAKE MLECHAINIISMI Application led June 16, 1930.l Serial No. 461,517.

.I v Y (GRANTED UNDER `THE ACT F 3, 18,83, AS AHEHDED 80, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) Thev invention described herein may be` manufactured and used-by or for the Gov- 4ermnent for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon. .This invention relates to a iuid brake mechanism for guns.

In associating a spear recoil buffer with a recoil mechanism, the braking action is effective only duringthe final portion of' the counterrecoil stroke.

Where a buifer is associated with a recuperator mechanism whlchl is 1n communlcation with a recoil mechanism the braking action may be effective during the entire counterrecoil stroke.

The pu ose of this invention is-to associate a bu er of the continually acting type with' a recoil mechanism, the space occasioned by withdrawal of the recoil piston 2 beingntilized to receive a iuid 'from a su that changes in the precise embodiment of` the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawinvs, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a `longitudinal sectional view of the improved recoil mechanism showing the position of the parts when in battery;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in'position of full recoil;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;'and

Fig. 4 isa fragmentar longitudinal sectional view throu h the iaphragm.

Referring to t e drawings by numerals of reference:

There is shown a brake cylinder 5 in which is reciprocally mounted a brake iston 6 having the usual hollow lpiston ro 6m 5 and the ports 7 in its head. T

type of countere piston rod is' attached to the gun for movement there-- with recoil and counterrecoil. A fixed throttling bar 8 inserted in the hollow piston rod'termlnates in a reduced Spearhead 9 fitting in a buffer chamber 10 1n the outer end of the piston rod.

The en d of the cylinder 5 opposite the piston is closed by a short'length cylinder 11 eld against withdrawal by means of a ring Y 12 threaded to the exterior of the cylinder 5 and maintained against inward movement by means of a cap 13 threaded to its extrem- 1ty and abutting the ring 12. The outer end 14 of the cylinder 11 is centrally apertured to accommodate thevstem 15 of a plunger 16 within the cylinder and normally urged by a sprin 17 towards the inner end 18. The c lin er l1 thus provides an expansion c amber 19, the position of the movable end constituted by the plunger being indicatable by observingthe stem 15 through an aperture 20 in the cap 13.

The inner end wall 18 of the cylinder 11 forms a diaphragm separating the brake chamber 5a and the expansion chamber 19 and serves to anchor the throttling bar 8.

Itis spaced from the head of the piston 6 when the latter is fully forward in position of battery. The end 18 carries one or more one-way valves2l openinginto the brake chamber 5a and having an apertured disc 22 on its stem for engaging the end wall 18 to prevent undue compression of the valve spring 23.

Thev end wall 18 also carries a gravity actuated valve of the general type disclosed in my Patent 1,582,759 and is preferably disposed in the brake chamber 5a. In the present case a pair of spaced arms 24 having weights 25on their lower extremity are secured by means of 'pins 2.6 t0 a hollow pivot 27.

4number of radial ports 30 at least one of which is always in communication with a I duct 31 leading from the pivot tothe chamber 19 irrespective of the inclination of the weighted arm.,` As shown in Fig. 3, the

spaced arms clear the'throttling bar 8 and the valves 21.

rhe brake chamber 5a and the expansion chamber 19 are filled with a iluid, preferably oil, which is admitted through the hollow- Y stem of the plunger 16 and maintained under pressure by the plunger.

`W hen the gun is tired and moves in recoil, it retracts the piston 6 and the fluid is 10 obliged to pass from one side ofthe piston The Withdrawal of the piston rod from'the s brake chamber 5a increases the volume thereof by a corresponding amount less the volume ofoil which is delivered tothe buffer chamber 10. rllhisl increase in the volume of the recoil cylinder 5 is lattended by agreduction in pressure and the plunger 16 under the action of its spring and atmospherlc pressure comes into play to force fluid from the expansion chamber 19 through thev valves 21 into 'the brake chamber to compensate for displacement of the piston rod.

During the countercoil movement of the gun the piston 6 moves forwardly in the brake chamber 5 and must displace the fluid I admitted from the ex ansion chamber. The

only escape provided or this surplus volume of fluid is by way of the hollow pivot 27, the radial portsv 30 provided therein, and the ductl 31. The throttling of this fluid in its-return to the expansion chamber provides a 'brake acting continuously and uniformly throughout 'the countercoil stroke to check the momentum of the moving parts.

As the gun carrying the recoil mechanism is elevatedthe arms 24 automatically move to different positions and more of the radial ports 30 are brought into register with the dct 31, thus permitting the fiuid to return to the expansion chamber .at a greater rate and compensating for the greater force required to be exerted by the recuperator mechanism to `restore the gun to battery.

As seen in Fig. 1 when the recoil mechanism is horizontal or at zero elevation, at least one of the radial port's 30 AWill be in communication with the duct 31, thereby permitting -an equalization of pressures n the brake chamber and expansion chamber at all times. The pacldng units 32 and the retainers 33 preferred in the disclosed in detail 1n my prior Patent 1,584,- 7 00, and Reissue-16,978.

A small amount ofv resent arrangement are I claim:

1. A iiuid brake mechanism embodying a brake cylinder, a brake piston having ports, a throttling bar associ-ated with the piston, a closed cylinder providing a clos ure for ,one end of the brake cylinder, the inner end of the closure cylinder provided with a throttling orifice. establishing `communication with the brake cylinder, gravity actuated means for regulating the throttling orifice, a valved outlet in said inner end leading to theJ brake cylinder, and a plunger in the closure cylinder.

2. A fluid brake mechanism embodying a L brake cylinder, aibra'ke piston 'having ports,

a throttling bar associated with the piston, a closed cylinder providing a closure for one end of the brake cylinder, the inner end'of the closure cylinder provided with a variable throttling orifice establishing communication with 4the brake cylinder, a valved outlet in said inner end leading to the brake cylinder, and a plunger in the closure cyl-- inder. A

3. `A Huid brake mechanism embodying a brake cylinder, a brake piston' reciprocal therein, a closure for the cylinder providing 'an expansion chamber, the inner end of said closure provided with a variable throttling orifice establishing communication with the brake cylinder, and a valved outlet in saidA inner end leading to the brake cylinder, and a plunger in the expansion chamber.

4. A fluid brake mechanism embodying a brakescylinder, a brake piston reciprocal therein, a closure for the cylinder providing a reservoir, a valved outlet from the reservoir to the brakev cylinder, a throttled inlet to the reservoir from the brake cylinder, and a plunger in the reservoir.

5. A fluid brake mechanism embodyin a brake cylinder, a diaphragm inthe cy inder defining a brake chamberrand an auxiliary chamber, a throttling orifice in the diaphragm, means for regulating the throttling orifice, a valved outlet in the diaphragm leading tothe brake cylinder, a brake piston inv the brake chamber, and a plunger in the auxiliary chamber.

6. A fluid brake mechanism embodying a brake cylinder, a diaphragm in the cylinder 'defining a brake chamber and an auxiliary chamber, a throttling orifice in the diaphragm, a valved outlet inl the diaphragm leading to the brake cylinder, a brake piston in the-brake chamber, and a plunger in the auxiliar chamber.

7 A uid brake mechanism embodying a brake cylinder, a brake piston therein, `an auxiliary chamber having a nonreturn Outletto the brake cylinder, a throttled inlet for the auxiliary chamber, means for regulating the throttled inlet, and a plunger in the auxiliary chamber.

8. A fluid brake mechanism embodying a Aum brake cylinder, a brake piston therein, an auxiliary chamber having a nonreturn outlet to the brake cylinder, a throttled inlet for' the auxiliary chamber, and a plunger in the auxiliary chamber.

9. A Huid brake mechanism embodying a brake cylinder, a brake piston therein, an auxiliary chamber having a nonreturn outlet to the brake cylinder, a throttled path of communication between the auxiliary chamber and brake cylinder, and a plunger in the auxiliary chamber.

l0. A fluid brake mechanism embodying l a brake cylinder, a ybrake piston therein,

means including a one-Way passage for supplying a fluid to the brake cylinder to compensate for displacement of the piston during its back stroke, and means for throttling the supplied Huid out of the brake cylinder on the forward stroke of the piston.

l1. In a valve mechanism, a member prg- .vided with a passage, a 'hollow pivot p rovided with ports aording communication with the passage and a gravity actuated member carried by the pivot.

` BRYAN P. JOYCE. 

